Rail-joint.



` B. G. BRAINE.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIGATION FILED IEB.21,1908v Y Patented July 6, 1909.

f1/wanton Barra/'off ,Bra/7a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lBANOROFT BRAINE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORI..

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented July 6, 1909.

Application filed February 21, 1908. Serial No. 417,115.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, BANcRorr G. BRAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the subject of rail joints, and more particularly to that general type of joints known as the continuous rail joint.

The standard type of continuous rail joint is characterized by the employment of joint bars, each of which is rolled to provide an upright member or girder interposed between the rail head and the upper side of the rail flange, an outwardly extending foot flange overlying the base flange of the rail, and an inwardly extending rail supporting base section integrated with the outer edge of the foot flange and underlying and bearing against the rail base. Experience has shown that it is difficult to secure absolute uniformity in the rolling of the rails and joint bars of the type described so as to insure a perfect lit of the joint bar to the base flange-of the rail, inasmuch as the height of the rails between the under side of the head and the outer side of the base flange, frequently varies to such an extent that a perfect fit is not obtained when the joint bars are drawn on to the rails.'

lt is, therefore, the distinctive object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the construction of oint bars of the continuous ty e so as to insure a perfect, though firm, fit for the oint bars under the rail head and on top ofthe base flanges of the rails, while at the same time preserving all of the desirable features of the continuous type of rail joint.

More specifically, the invention has in view a modification in the end portions ofthe joint bars overlying the ties whereby such a degree of flexibility is provided for in these end portions of the joint bars as to insure a pere fect fit to the joint, while at the same time not gripping the flange of the rail quite so tight as is the case with the conventional de sions.

tThe invention also has in view a construction equally serviceable as a standard joint, or in connection with an insulating joint.

With these and many other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, com bination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The essential features of the invention ine volved in carrying out the objects above indicated are necessarily susceptible to numerous variations by way of structural modifican tion, without departing from the scope of the invention, but certain practical embodiments thereof are exemplified by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint embodying joint bars of the continuous type and constructed in accordance with the pres ent invention. view of the joint on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line of Fig. 1.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

As indicated, the invention. claimed herein posseses special utility in connection with the continuous type of rail joint, and as shown in the drawings, a joint of this character includes in its construction the service rails .l5-l, the usual joint bolts 1, and the oppositcly arranged continuous joint bars 2. Each of the continuous joint bars 2 is rolled into an, angle bar formation, the same consisting of an upright member or splice bar portion 8 formed at its upper edge with a thickened bearing head d engaging against the underside of the rail head, and at its lower edge formed with an outwardly extending foot flange 5 overlying the base flanges of the rails, and having integrated with the outer' edge portion thereof an inwardly extending rail supporting base section 6 underlying and bearing against the rail base. This structure provides, be tween the flange 5 and the base section 6, a flange receiving pocket or space 7 for the reception of the base flanges of the rails.

The several elements above indicated are characteristic of the continuous type of joint bar, and the essential functions thereof are fully preserved by the present invention, but a distinctive feature of the latter resides in providing each joint bar in the end portions thereofwith what vmay be characterized as longitudinally disposed easing opcn- Fig. 2 is a cross sectional j Alo ings S. r1`hese easing openings 8 pierce each end portion of the joint bar and extend back lronr the ends or extremities oi' the bar to approximately the edge ol' the tie, and in the practical construction oi' the joint bar it is preferable that each easing opening 8 occupy approximately one-third oiI the length oi' the bar, although this proportion is not essential and may be varied without atlecting the scope ol' the invention.

lt will be observed that the easing openings S are l'ormed in the angle bar member o'l' the joint bar at the outer edge oll the foot l'lange thereo'l', and there'l'ore separate, by a well delined opening, space, or slit, the said edge portion oi'l the angle bar from the adjacent edge portion ol' the base plate 6, as i plainly shown in both lligs. 1 and 3 oi the drawings. ln other words, the easing openings 8 pierce the end portions ol' the joint bar in the plane ol' the juncture between the loot lange 5 and the hase section G, and thus serve to separate said llange l'rom the base plate at the end portions ol' the joint overlying the ties. By reason oil this arrangement of the easing openings 8, it will be obvious that a perfect lit oi' the hars to the rails is provided for on account oil the relative lexibility permitted letwecn the end portions ol' the joint bars and the base sections 6, which i'lexibility insures perleet engagement and tit o'l the parts. in this connection it will be further observed that this l'eature oll the invention is ol' special advantage, j miticularly in view oi' the lact that the rails ol'ten vary in their dimensions, and when. the ilanges ol the rail are thick or thin, the llexible end. portions o'll the joint bar will, in every ease, give the necessary and proper bearing to the base ol' the rail. lirnltlmrlnore, it will be noted that the construction described provides delinite and positive means whereby the joint bars do not grip the l langes ol' the rail as tightly as in the eonventional types el continuous bars now in use.

Any practical method ol providing the easing openings 8 in the oint bars may be resorted. to, but a practical expedient is suggested in the drawings, viz: that of slitting the bars along the line ol cut designated by the rel'erence number 9 at a suitable stage in the process ol' rolling the bars, and then upsetting the metal l'rom the slit to not only open up the spaces or openings S, but also to provide the spiking llanges 10 lying in the plane olf the base section 6 at the outer' edges thereol. However, these details may be changed or varied according to manul'acturing reipiirements or as good practice may dernand without allecting the invention.

ln the drawings the intermediate portions ol the joint bars between the slitted end portions are shown as preserving the conventional design illustrated in Fig. 2 ol the drawings, and in which the base sections 6 are continued directly l'rom the foot flanges 5, but it will also be understood in this connection that any variation desired in this part ol' the joint may also be resorted to without al'lfecting the i'unctions o'l` the slitted end portions referred to. Furthermore, the construction described is not only valuable l'or use in connection with standard joints, but is equally available l'or use in connection with joints oi the insulated type.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages olx the herein described improvement in rail joints may be readily apparent without further description, and it will also be understood that various changes in the l'orin, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any oi the advantages ol' the invention.

1 claim:

1. A rail joint bar having a splice bar portion, a rail-supporting base section integral therewith, and an easing opening piercing the body or the bar in a plane above the base section.

2. A rail joint bar having a splice bar portion, a rail-supporting base section integral with said splice bar portion, and a lon gitudinally arranged easing opening piercing the joint bar adjacent to and above one edge ol' the base section.

3. A one-piece rail joint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and having an easing opening piercing the angle bar member adjacent to the base section.

A one-piece rail oint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and provided with a longitudinal easing opening piercing the angle bar member adjacent to the base section.

5. A one-piecc rail joint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and provided in the opposite end portions oi its l'oot flange with easing openings.

6. A one-piece rail joint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and provided in the opposite end portions ol' its loot Ilange with longitudinal easing openings.

7. A one-piece rail joint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and provided in opposite end. portions of its loot llange with longitudinal easing openings separating the loot flange i'rom the adjacent edges oi' the base section.

8. A one-piece rail joint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and provided in opposite end portions o'l' its i'oot l'lange with easing openings disposed longitudinally and extending inwardly from the ends ol' the bar, said openings separating the outer edges ol the l'oot iiange from the adj acent edge oi' the base section.

9. A one-piece rail oint bar comprising an angle bar member and a base section, and

provided With easing openings between the foot iengje end, bese section` end spiking flanges within the piene oi said openings.

l0. A one-piece ini] joint bei' comprising sin angle ber nieinbei' and e bese section, and slitted in its end portions between the bese section and the foot flange oi the angie bei'. l1. A one-piece i'eil joint bei' eonipi'isii'ig en ingle bei' ineinbei' and e 'bese section., end siitted et its opposite end portions between the bese section and the foot :fienge of the angle bei?, the metal at one side of the slit being turned ont to i'oi'in spiking flanges.

Egg

12. A ieii joint bei having en integlei bese section, and en easing` opening piercing the bei' body ttm/eid the ends thereof.

1 3. A mii oint 'bei' having' en integral bese section, end e iongitndinei easing openingl piercing` the bei body toward the ends thereof.

In 'testimony whereof it hereunto eiix my signature in the presence oi two Witnesses.

BANUROFT G. BRANE. Vifitnesses:

BnNJ. E. 7iOLHAUPTnn, E. T. Sennminnnonn. 

